The Apprentice
by ChiseHatori
Summary: When Dilan and Aeleus take a stroll through Radiant Garden, they never expect to encounter a young, mute boy that is struggling to survive on his own. Will Ienzo accept that even the most well off characters can possess the kindest of hearts? - My take on Ienzo's origin story.


Ienzo was always a loner. From the moment he had stepped foot in the grand city of Radiant Garden, he quickly realized that things would not come to change. He stood in the morning shadow of the great castle, examining its precarious towers and window panes until his neck ached. He would give anything to be noticed by someone who lived in such a magnificent place.

He shoved those thoughts away, shouldered his pack, and drifted into the crowded streets. Silently, he scolded himself. He knew better than to linger on fantasies. Ienzo was nothing more than a common street rat. Not even the lowest peasant would dare to be caught with someone like him. Although he had only arrived weeks ago, the locals had already been more than kind enough to show Ienzo his place in their society. He had the bruises to prove it, too.

He darted through the throng like a ghost. The air was sweltering hot in the mid-summer day. He traveled to the center of the town, where the daily market was already in full swing. The smell of fresh baked bread and crisp apple cider wafted against the barest breeze that carried between the buildings. He ran his tongue over his cracked lips and held his stomach. He had not eaten a decent meal in weeks.

The sound of laughter from nearby patrons drifted across the street as they filtered into the town square. Ienzo shuffled along with them, eyes alert and his mind as sharp as a tack. Ienzo's hood concealed his face from any potential wandering gazes. Sweat dripped down his cheeks in rivulets. He scoped out a nearby stall. A man with copper skin and a bushy mustache was preoccupied with unloading his cargo of fruits behind the counter. Ienzo approached the stand with soft, muffled feet. The sweet aroma of ripe violet grapes and plump strawberries glistening under the sunlight was enticing. It made his mouth water.

Before the man could react, Ienzo had swiped a small basket of bright red strawberries and stuffed them within the confines of his pack. He melted back into the gathering crowd with ease. His small stature and dark clothing were an effortless disguise for him to blend with the common folk. He picked up his pace until he was running in a dead sprint. He thought he heard shouting behind him, but he did not stop to find out. Ienzo veered into a desolate alley where he could finally eat in peace.

He stumbled and collapsed against a wall. His breathing was erratic and shallow. Before he could fully recover, a shadow had rounded the corner. Suddenly, he was being lifted from the ground and shoved into the bricks. Black spots danced across his vision. The back of his skull was in agony, and something wet and sticky was dripping down his neck. The same man from earlier held him in a vice. He was screaming and yelling, but the ringing in Ienzo's ears drowned out the noise. He blinked hard, desperate to regain some control of his senses. His muscles were fatigued from his sudden burst of energy and his body felt weak from hunger. He tugged at the large calloused fingers that were wrapped around the collar of his shirt, but his frantic actions only made the man furious. He shook Ienzo wildly, making his head hurt even worse.

Another voice pierced through the swelling panic that was building up in Ienzo's chest, and he was dropped on the dusty cobblestones unceremoniously. He shuffled further back into the alley as a pair of strangers confronted the shop keeper. Ienzo watched from the darkness, wide-eyed and terrified. He couldn't stop himself from shaking as the three men shouted over each other. At last, the man that had threatened him threw his hands up in defeat. He lumbered out into the bustling street with a slump in his step.

"Sheesh, what a bone head." One of the men said. He scratched the back of his neck and sighed.

Then, they turned their attention to Ienzo, who was trying to make himself as small as possible at the end of the alleyway. He tucked his legs under and pressed his back into the scratchy brick. They advanced gradually, their movements calculated and slow, before they were mere steps away from Ienzo. He observed them quietly, fists clenched in the holes of his tattered jeans. They were both wearing fine clothing, with an insignia of a crimson heart stitched into the fabric. Their buttons were dull in the dim light, and their collars were down. They both wore a set of white gloves that concealed their hands and wrists. He stifled a gasp, realization dawning on him instantaneously. They were from the castle.

The tallest one, a fierce looking man with stringy auburn hair, crouched down to Ienzo's level.

"Hello." He whispered, his voice softer than Ienzo had expected, "Is this yours?" In his palm, Ienzo's sack of strawberries dangled limply.

Ienzo watched him carefully, but the man seemed to be earnest. He leaned forward and snatched the bag from his hand. Peeking inside, he counted the strawberries that had survived the encounter. They had spilled out of their crate, and some of them were bruised.

"My name is Aeleus."

Ienzo clutched the pack with his tiny fingers and held it close to his chest. Aeleus gestured to the other man, who stood nearby in silence. He was adorned in the same uniform as his partner, and his dark dreads were tied back from his face. "That's Dilan. He's a friend of mine."

Ienzo remained where he was, noiseless and unapproachable. He did not tear his focus away from the strangers. He imagined that he looked like a cornered feline. He did not hold an inkling of trust for either of them, no matter how friendly they appeared to be. If there was one crucial lesson he had learned as an orphan, it was to never, ever rely on anybody else. Despite his lack of response, Aeleus persisted.

"What's your name?" He asked. He waited for a response with impeccable patience. His face was quite serene. Ienzo only stared at them, eyes darting to each in turn. He expected them to lash out at him.

Aeleus simply tried another question, "Can you speak?"

Ienzo shook his head. He had not spoken in several years. There was entirely too much trauma weighing him down. His past was marred with ugly scars. His memories were still fresh and raw. He hugged himself as they cut through his thoughts, simultaneous to stale air bubbling up in a thick tar pit. He blinked hard and sniffed. He just wanted to go back to how things were before the man had beat him. Ienzo had not been reminded of his childhood for a very long time. He had only concentrated on surviving ever since _it_ had happened. Life on his own allowed no measure of time to idle on memories of the past.

"How old do you think he is, Aeleus?" Dilan chimed.

Aeleus considered Ienzo for a moment. His gaze drifted from his clothes and the hood covering his young features, to the state of his battered shoes. "At least nine." He decided, rubbing his chin.

Ienzo examined them closely, taking in their guarded posture and solemn expressions. He briefly wondered where they slept at night, or if they had ever been forced to scavenge for their next meal. He wondered what they hoped to gain from this little interrogation, and why they had bothered to even save him in the beginning. It wasn't like he had never been caught before. That was the way things worked on the streets. If a thief gets caught, he deserves to suffer the consequences. Ienzo had built a bad reputation among many shopkeepers, and he had always been a lousy bandit. He had gotten sloppier once the hunger had started getting to him.

"Would you like to follow us home, little one?"

Ienzo flinched as he was yanked back to his present situation. He pointed his finger at himself as if to say, _me?_

Aeleus nodded, "We have warm food. You'll have a roof over your head." Aeleus held out his hand to him. Ienzo hesitated, gawking at Aeleus in turn. He was unsure about following them. He held nothing but mistrust for these men, especially since they hailed from the castle. Besides, who would possibly want him in the first place? He did not belong in a castle. In fact, he had been lucky enough to find shelter in a cardboard box. Then again, he had not been given a safe place to rest in months. The sheer value of what Aeleus was offering him was shocking. He could not accept that two high class citizens would ever bother to share their home with a strange, poor boy.

"We won't force you to stay." Aeleus said, sensing Ienzo's skepticism. He scooted closer, "At least come for one night."

Ienzo paused. He held up a single finger.

Aeleus managed a slight smile, "Yes, one night."

He turned his attention back to his sack of fruit. Ienzo pulled out a handful of juicy strawberries and thrust his arm out between them. He shook them gently. From his perspective, it was only fair that Ienzo pay for such an act of kindness. Besides, nothing came without a price. He crawled up onto his knees and shuffled forward, once again extending his batch of strawberries to Aeleus. The poor man seemed to be confused; his eyes flicked between the dirt speckled fruit and Ienzo's desperate stature. He held the strawberries as if they were the most precious gift someone could ever ask for. Then, a look of understanding crossed Aeleus's features. He sighed, and Ienzo recognized the same glint of sorrow from before pass through his irises.

"You can keep those, child." Aeleus whispered. His hand came forward and, gently, he tucked Ienzo's fingers around the strawberries. Ienzo could not fathom why he would not take the food. But, he dropped them back into the confines of the sack nonetheless. Maybe they would take them later. Aeleus reached for him, and Ienzo swallowed his fear as he hooked his pinky finger around Aeleus's thick thumb. The man waited as Ienzo tried to gather his footing.

However, as soon as he was able to stand on his feet, a rush of dizziness washed over him. His stomach lurched with nausea. His mind turned fuzzy and the ground tilted. He briefly noticed that he was falling forward, but someone caught him before he could crumple to the ground. Aeleus and Dilan's faces swam in an array of colors as they crouched over him. Their mouths moved in garbled tones. The back of Ienzo's head throbbed in agony. He had forgotten that the shopkeeper had smacked his head against the wall. Was he injured?

Ienzo phased in and out of consciousness as his mind began to slip away. He felt like his body couldn't decide whether it was too hot or too cold. His hood dropped in a jerk of sudden movement. The sun was abruptly bright, so he squeezed his eyes shut to block out the glare. Distantly, he wondered where he would awaken, and if he would be safe when he did.


End file.
